Create space for faith in your everyday planning

A DaySpring personal planner with a floral, hardback cover and a gold coil binding lays on a white desktop surface.

Despite the ease of planning and scheduling our lives on our electronic devices, many of us find a physical planner or calendar to be both a comfort and a convenience. It can become a home base for day-to-day life: a place to collect our plans, priorities and important moments in one spot. A planner or calendar can serve our faith life in much the same way, becoming a personal record of the small moments that shape our bigger purpose, a reminder of the blessings that might otherwise get lost in the busyness of life and a landing spot for prayer intentions gathered in our daily encounters.  

Below, you’ll find some ideas for making sure your planner or calendar reflects what matters most, along with ways to say “yes” to time with God and to prioritize family and faith moments — for benefits that add up over the months. 

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Block time for family building  

In addition to marking Bible studies, small group meetings, spiritual formation classes, and spiritual retreats, be sure to set aside time for activities that strengthen family relationships.  

  • Block recurring time for family dinners. Whether it’s dinner with your children, aging parents, or other loved ones, saying grace and sharing a meal can become a meaningful rhythm. 
  • Deepen relationships by scheduling dedicated one-on-one time with each of your family members. 
  • Plan regular game nights at home. Gathering around a table for some friendly competition can encourage laughter, conversation and connection. (Don’t forget the snacks!) 
  • Serve others together. Your church, school, and community likely offer opportunities to lend a hand. Browse bulletin boards or online listings for ways to pitch in with family or friends and make a difference in the lives of others—then be intentional and add it to the calendar! 

Make milestones matter  

Don’t forget to include space around special milestones and celebrations such as birthdays, anniversaries, school events, sports end-of-season celebrations and proud accomplishments. Add seasonal traditions to the calendar well in advance so they don’t fall through the cracks.

Consider a fall family outing, Advent and Lenten prayer nights, Christmas and Easter baking, summer service activities and Thanksgiving gratitude projects. These are often the memories and traditions that families cherish long after the date has passed and the habits that will enrich and deepen your faith life. 

Plan for prayer and thankfulness  

If your planner doesn’t provide space for it, designate an area for prayer intentions and gratitude reflections. Develop a habit of noting prayer requests as they arise in conversations with friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers. Likewise, take a note of the everyday blessings and moments of gratitude you encounter along the way.

Before long, you’ll have a meaningful record of prayers offered and blessings received, perfect for revisiting whenever you need encouragement. 

Boost your toolbox  

Consider adding a DaySpring perpetual calendar for your desk, kitchen, or bedside table. Just flip the page each morning to find an uplifting Scripture, reflection or prayer to prepare your heart for the day ahead.  

For a quick faith lift throughout the day, hang a DaySpring wall calendar or mini wall calendar in a space you’ll see often.  

When life gets busy, a DaySpring pocket planner can help you keep perspective. Seeing your month at a glance makes it easy to recognize where the schedule is tight and where you’ve got more flexibility, helping you intentionally create time with loved ones that’s sure to nourish your heart and theirs. 

 

Using a physical planner or calendar just might be the habit or practice to help slow life down. It’s also a simple way to steward our time with purpose and create space to notice the blessings, relationships and opportunities that God puts in our lives.